Washing machine



A; w. ALToRr-'ER WASHING AMACHINE Filed Oct. 12 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet l LNYENIR- Nov. :2&1J 192s. 1,563,136

A A. W. ALTORFER l WASHING MACHINE L Filed oct. l2, 1922 3 sheets-sheet 2 i HY A. W. ALTORFER Nav. 24, 1925 WASHING MACHINE Filed Oc:l' l2., 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet AI'f INYENTCJE.

Patented Nov. 24, 1925.

UNITED ySTATES PATENT OFFICE;

ALPHEUS W. ALTORFER, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ALTORFER BROS. COM- PANY, OF MST PEORIA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

WASHING MACHINE.

Application led October 12, 1922.A Serial No. 594,019.

To all whom it may concern:

BeV it known that I, 'ALrHEUs W. AL- b TORFER, a citizen of the United States, a resident of Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Washing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to washing machines and particularly' to the domestic or household type machine.

The invention has for its principal object to combine in the 4oscillator tub type machine, the vacuum cup type machine; whereby the advantages embo ied in oscillating and vacuum cup machines are contained in one machine.

A. further object of the invention is to provide a clothes container for washing machines having connected thereto and arranged therem, two or more vacuum cups, or agitators, or suction cups, or pounders as some users are want to call vacuum cups; such cups being preferably disposed on opposite sides of the pivotal axis of the container and normally above the water line of said container.

A still further object of the invention is to construct a clothes container for oscillatory action, and to provide the same with oppositely disposed and transversely arranged vacuum cups, each cupbeing preferably constructed with a plurality of parallel disposed chambers separated by division walls; said cups being normally supported at an acute angle to a horizontal line passing through the pivotal axis of the tub.

That the invention may be more fully understood, reference` is had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the present description, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a washing machine, including an oscillatory tub embodying my invention, the frame structure and operating means being shown in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is a cross-section of the container as the same would appear if taken on theline 2-2 Figure l, the frame structure eing shown in dotted lines;

Figure 3 is a cross-section of the container, as the same would appear if taken on the line 3 3 Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of a cup, partly in section, as the same would appear on the line 4 4 Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the under side of the cup;

- Figure 6 is a cross-section through a cup as the same would appear, if taken on the line 6-6 Figure 4, and

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of the container, in full and dotted lines showing the same in its extreme4 oscillatory movements to the right and left, for the purpose of showing the action 0f the vacuum cups in forcing air into the water and through the fabrics being cleaned.

Like characters `of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the figures.

Inasmuch as the invention is directed primarily to the clothes container, only a brief reference need be made to the frame structure and operating means, which has been likewise briefly shown.

The supporting structure may include side frames l, l, and a base frame 2 roviding a mounting for suitable bearings for gearing and other operating parts of the machine. 3 is a motor adapted to operate a mechanism which includes a crank arm 4 having connected thereto ay pitman or reach bar 5 for oscillating .the clothes container or tub 6.

The container or tub 6 is preferably made of sheet metal and includes the side walls 7 joined by the curved preferably, corrugated or ribbed rubbing wall 8. The top, or clothes -receiving and removing portion, is preferably flat with an opening 9 adapted to be closed by the removable cover 0r lid 10. This opening is formed by the off-set angular bends l1 and 12 of the wall 8,

forming a rest for the closure 10 which ts snugly and close so as to prevent water splashing from the tub when oscillated. The closure has a handle 13. Extending transversely across the bottom of the container or tub 6 and suitably joined to `the sides thereof is .a partition or obstruction 14, being a sheet, preferably bent into the form of an'inverted U to provide a coinpartment; the walls having openings therethrough for the circulation of water in the tub, and for the passage of water to the drain pipe 15, when it is desired to drain the tub. To support the tub for oscillatory movement in the frame, castings 16 in the form of spiders are secured to the side Wialls .7, each having trunnions 17 jour-' nal'ed in bearings 18 removably mounted on brackets 19 secured to the frame supthrough the pivotal axis of the tub, and

l olen faces of the cups lie preferably above the normal water line p thereof.

The vacuum cups are designated 22, which extend cross-wise of the curved rubbing wall 8 and secured to the side walls 7, preferably b forming the cups with, or connecting tlilereto ribs 23 adapted to lit within the seats orgrooves 21 inthe side walls 7, see Figure 4, and by lips or ears 24 extending up from said ribs 23- and riveted or otherwise suitably secured to said side walls 7. The

s 21 connected thereto w ich( will dispose the cups at an acute angle to a horizontal line passing through the pivotal axis of the tub. I prefer to employ two vacuum cups within the'container or tub, one on either side of a vertical line passing down through the pivotal axis of the tub and ata point above the normal/water line, when the tub is stationary, and I also prefer that each vacuum cup shall extend from one sidewall 7 to the other and to comprise a plurality of parallel disposed chambers 25l separated by l the spacing or division walls 26. I realize 5g that a vacuum cup might be @nsti-noted Wm,

only one chamber but its vacuum action will not be as effective as a cup formed of a pluirality of chambers, as shown. Furthermore. I

- Il am not concerned about the shape of the cups'in cross-section, as'this'may depend on theshape givento the container or tub, and naturally if ithe contour of the tub is changed it might require .some modification in the shape of the cups. A s the cups are now `constrlxcted the will act on the entire a body of water, whic "on entering the cups,

arallel with the as the tub is oscillated will force the air out of the cups into the water and through the fabrics, resulting in a thorough cleansing of the fabrics. As the tub is oscillated, first in ,one direction then in an opposite direction the water and fabrics are agitated, moving the clothes or fabrics toward vand away from the vacuum cups, the cups returning before the water and clothes or fabrics can recede and act to further agitate the same and forcing air therein and therethrough to facilitate in the cleansing action. The partition or obstruction 14 not only assists in the agitation of the water to force the same through the clothes and fabrics but also acts to keep the clothes or fabrics in agitation and to change the position thereof within the container or tub. The action last above described it is believed will be understood from Figure 7. Furthermore, the use 0f vacuum cups in an oscillatory tub or container has a suction effect on the fabrics as theyare moved with the volume of water to the cups, and such suction will act to momentarily holdy or retard the fabrics, as the water falls away due to the alternate actionof the tub or container, and as the water falls or moves away it will pass down through the fabrics further facilitating the cleaning action.

The vacuum cups are each preferably made in one piece and may be stamped, cast or otherwise suitably formed.

I do not of course desire to be limited to the exact construction, arrangement and operation shown and described as changes and modifications are no doubt possible which would come within the scope of the invention.

What I claim is 1. In a washin machine, a clothes container provided with recessed side walls, and vacuum cups having ribs fitting within said recesses.

2. In a washing machine, a clothes container provided with recessed side, walls vacuum cups having ribs fitting within said recesses, and other means for securing said cups to the side walls of the container.

3. In a washing machine, a clothes container having vertical vside walls provided with recessesl a curved rubbing Wall connecting said side walls, and a pair of op ositely disposed vacuum cups extending lietween said side walls and having ribs fitting withinsaid recesses, each cup including a plurality of parallel arranged chambers.

4. In a Washing machine, in combination with a metallic clothes container of the oscillatory type, of vacuumcups for said cony tainer formed into a plurality of integrally adjoined chambers separated by dividin partitions, and the outside cups provide with attaching lips for securing the same to the wall of the container.

5. In a washin machine, in combination with a metallic c othes container of the oscillatory type, the opposite inside walls of which are provided with recesses, of vacuum 'cups for said container formed into a plu- .rality of mtegrally adjoined chambers separated by dividin partitions, and the Qutside cups provide with attaching lips for securing the same tothe wall of the con# tainernand with ribs fitting Within said re- 10 cesses.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto aixed my hand and seal this 7th day of October, 1922.

ALPHEUS W.- ALTORFR, [Le] 

